Detection of parallel redundancy protocol traffic in software defined networks

Abstract

This disclosure pertains to systems and methods for identifying and configuring a host in a software defined network (SDN) configured to communicate using a parallel redundancy protocol (PRP). In one embodiment, a system may include a first communication host and a second communication host configured to transmit information through a network. An SDN controller in communication with the network may include a PRP identification subsystem to monitor traffic transmitted by the first communication host to the second communication host, determine that the traffic comprises at least one data packet that conforms to PRP. Upon detection of a host configured to use PRP, a traffic routing subsystem creates a plurality of communication flows between the first communication host and the second communication host to route PRP traffic between the first communication host and the second communication host.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system operable to identify a communication host in a software defined network (SDN) configured to communicate using a parallel redundancy protocol (PRP), the system comprising:
 a first communication host;   a second communication host;   a network in communication with the first communication host and the second communication host, the network comprising a plurality of switches interconnected using a plurality of physical links; and   an SDN controller in communication with the network, the SDN controller comprising:
 a PRP identification subsystem to:
 monitor traffic transmitted by the first communication host to the second communication host; 
 determine that at least one packet that conforms to PRP; and 
 
 a traffic routing subsystem to create a plurality of communication flows between the first communication host and the second communication host to route PRP traffic between the first communication host and the second communication host. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the traffic routing subsystem is configured to create the plurality of communication flows without user intervention. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a user interface subsystem to prompt an operator to accept at least one of the plurality of communication flows before creation of the communication flow between the first communication host and the second communication host. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of communication flows comprises at least one communication flow to enable transmission of PRP supervisory frames between the first communication host and the second communication host. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first communication host and the second communication host comprises a relay in an electric power system. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a PRP optimization subsystem to identify parallel communication paths between the first communication host and the second communication host that utilize distinct physical communication links;
 wherein the traffic routing subsystem is configured to implement the plurality of communication flows between the first communication host and the second communication host utilizing the distinct physical communication links.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the PRP optimization subsystem is further configured to identify parallel communication paths between the first communication host and the second communication host that utilize distinct switches;
 wherein the traffic routing subsystem is configured to implement the plurality of communication flows between the first communication host and the second communication utilizing the distinct switches.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein traffic in the network is subject to a deny-by-default security policy. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein traffic that is denied by default is routed to the SDN controller, and the PRP identification subsystem identifies the at least one data packet in traffic that is denied by default and routed to the SDN controller. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the PRP identification subsystem selectively monitors traffic from the first host upon discovery to identify the at least data packet that conforms to PRP. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the PRP identification subsystem is further configured to determine that at least one packet the traffic comprises at least one pair of redundant data packets, and to determine that the at least one pair of redundant data packets that conforms to PRP. 
     
     
         12 . A method of identifying a communication host in a software defined network (SDN) configured to communicate using a parallel redundancy protocol (PRP), the system comprising:
 providing a first communication host;   providing a second communication host;   providing an SDN controller;   connecting the first communication host, the second communication host, and the SDN controller to a network, the network comprising a plurality of switches and a plurality of physical communication links;   monitoring traffic, using a PRP identification subsystem of the SDN controller;   determining, using the PRP identification subsystem of the SDN controller, that the traffic comprises at least one data packet that conforms to PRP; and   creating, using a traffic routing subsystem of the SDN controller, a plurality of communication flows between the first communication host and the second communication host to route PRP traffic between the first communication host and the second communication host.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising creating, using the traffic routing subsystem, the plurality of communication flows without user intervention. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising prompting, using a user interface subsystem, an operator to accept at least one of the plurality of communication flows before creation of the communication flow between the first communication host and the second communication host. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of communication flows comprises at least one communication flow to enable transmission of PRP supervisory frames between the first communication host and the second communication host. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein at least one of the first communication host and the second communication host comprises a relay in an electric power system. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 identifying, using a PRP optimization subsystem, parallel communication paths between the first communication host and the second communication host that utilize distinct physical communication links;   wherein the traffic routing subsystem is configured to implement the plurality of communication flows between the first communication host and the second communication utilizing the distinct physical communication links.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 identifying, using the PRP optimization subsystem, parallel communication paths between the first communication host and the second communication host that utilize distinct switches;   wherein the traffic routing subsystem is configured to implement the plurality of communication flows between the first communication host and the second communication utilizing the distinct switches.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein traffic in the network is subject to a deny-by-default security policy. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 routing traffic that is denied by default to the SDN controller; and   identifying, using the PRP identification subsystem of the SDN controller, the at least one data packet in traffic that is denied by default and routed to the SDN controller.